Trick or Treat so Others Can Eat Drive Again a Success

Members of the Lady Flames lacrosse team collecting canned goods on Halloween.

Liberty student-athletes continued to show their desire to impact Lynchburg and the surrounding community through the recently completed "Trick or Treat so Others Can Eat" campaign. The drive, organized and led by Liberty Academics for Athletics' Life Skills Coordinator, Morgaine Godwin, sought donations of canned and non-perishable goods to be donated to several area locations.

"Liberty student-athletes do a great job of displaying servants' hearts by interacting with the community through various campaigns and volunteer programs," stated Associate Athletics Director for Academic Affairs, Kristie Beitz. "It really takes a group coming together as one team in order to make a drive like this one successful, and our student-athletes certainly did that."

The drive, which received tremendous participation from all of Liberty's 20 Division I athletics programs, collected a total of 3,828 canned and non-perishable goods. The number far exceeded last year's total of 500 items. The Lady Flames lacrosse team brought in 734 items, capturing the "Golden Pumpkin" award as the team with the most goods collected. The field hockey team collected 343 goods, finishing in second place.

The goods will be distributed to several local ministries, including the Kingdom Power Worship Center, Daily Bread and Bedford Christian Ministires. Items will also be donated to Payne Elementary School for its Thanksgiving feast event.

On Halloween night, many student-athletes visited several local neighborhoods, including Wyndhurst and Russell Spring, to collect donations. Student-athletes also purchased items on their own to help support the campaign.

"We are very excited and impressed with what Liberty student-athletes do on and off the field," commented Godwin. "We are also very appreciative of the local community and its support throughout this campaign."

Even though the Trick or Treat so Others Can Eat campaign is complete, student-athletes will continue to collect canned and non-perishable goods throughout the year in an effort to capture Liberty's third Big South Conference Kallander Cup, a year-long fundraising competition among member institutions for the benefit of charity.